TNF-α Blocker Effect of Naringenin-Loaded Sericin Microparticles that Are Potentially Useful in the Treatment of Psoriasis

This study aims to evaluate the effect of combined use of the racemic flavanone Naringenin (NRG) and the protein sericin as TNF-α blockers. Sericin (SMs) and (R/S) NRG-loaded Sericin (SNRGMs) microparticles were prepared by spray-drying, characterized in terms of morphology and particle size distribution, and encapsulation efficiency was determined. Concerning morphology and particle size distribution of microparticles, results indicated that they were not affected by the presence of NRG. The encapsulation efficiency was almost quantitative (93%), thus proving that sericin can be advantageously loaded with (R/S) NRG. Biological evaluation of (R/S) NRG, SMs and SNRGMs was then performed in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMC). SNRGMs resulted cytotoxic at the higher dose used (200 μg/mL) and the effect was greater than (R/S) NRG alone. Moreover, even if sericin alone was not effective in suppressing LPS-induced serum TNF-α levels, SNRGMs loaded with 9.3% of (R/S) NRG were significantly more potent than (R/S) NRG alone. In summary, this study provides the proof of concept that sericin-based microspheres loaded with TNF-α-blockers could contribute to the down regulation of the cytokine and represents the starting point for the development of new topical formulations for the treatment of middle-stage psoriasis.     

Mean stress relaxation during cyclic straining of high strength aluminum alloys

Cycle-dependent relaxation may alter mean stress values and thus affect fatigue crack initiation life. This phenomenon is an issue both for accuracy of estimated fatigue lives and for the success of methods of intentionally introducing beneficial mean stresses. Although rigorous plasticity theories may describe cycle-dependent relaxation, it is not feasible to incorporate their complex mathematics into strain-based life estimates when loading histories contain millions of cycles. Empirical models are, on the other hand, more numerically efficient and, therefore, for the present purpose, constitute a better choice for modeling this transient phenomenon. Experiments have been performed to study mean stress relaxation in aluminum alloys 7075-T6511 and 7249-T76511. Preliminary tests were also conducted on alloy 7475-T651. Two empirical models are used to illustrate the experimentally observed cycle-dependent relaxation.     

Study of different kinds of “Pesto Genovese” by the analysis of their volatile fraction and chemometric methods

The volatile fraction of different kinds of Pestogenovese, a typical Italian basil-based pasta sauce, was analysed by Headspace Sorptive Extraction (HSSE)-Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) coupled with chemometric methods. Three kinds of commercial samples were considered: (a) non heat-processed shop manufactured, (b) heat-processed industrial and (c) non heat-processed industrial samples. The category of heat-processed samples was easily discriminated by the amounts of the terpene hydrocarbon α-terpinene. In order to distinguish the three categories, multivariate statistical analysis was then performed. Good prediction results were obtained by the combination of Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and Stepwise LDA (STEPLDA): the percentage of correct predictions was 92 for food industry manufactured non heat-processed samples and 100 both for shop manufactured, non heat-processed samples, and for food industry manufactured, heat-processed samples.     

Antifungal activity of Meyerozyma guilliermondii: Identification of active compounds synthesized during dough fermentation and their effect on long-term storage of wheat bread

Preliminarily, 146 strains of yeasts were screened for the antifungal activity toward the indicator Penicillium roqueforti DPPMAF1. The strain Meyerozyma guilliermondii LCF1353 was selected and used for dough fermentation. The water/salt soluble extract of the dough was analyzed by HPLC and GC/MS-SPME. The synthesis of the extracellular cell wall-degrading enzyme β-1,3-glucanase and ethyl-acetate was shown. The effect on conidia germination mainly suggested a fungistatic activity. M. guilliermondii LCF1353 was used as starter for dough fermentation in combination with Wickeramomyces anomalus 1695 and Lactobacillus plantarum 1A7, which were previously selected for antifungal activity. The growth of the strains was monitored by plate count and molecular techniques, and competitive or antagonistic interactions among them were excluded. Bread started with the combination of M. guilliermondii LCF1353, W. anomalus LCF1695 and L. plantarum 1A7 showed a more prolonged shelf life compared to the other breads. Fungal growth was delayed at least until 14 days of storage, under conditions of high artificial inoculum. The bread manufactured with the above combination showed good chemical and textural characteristics and, as shown by sensory analysis, it was appreciated for elasticity, color and taste.     

Exploitation of Acha (Digitaria exiliis) and Iburu (Digitaria iburua) flours: Chemical characterization and their use for sourdough fermentation

This study aimed at characterizing the chemical and microbiological composition of Acha (Digitaria exiliis) and Iburu (Digitaria iburua) flours and at exploiting their potential for sourdough fermentation. Both the flours had a gross composition similar to other cereals. As shown by two-dimensional electrophoresis analysis, Acha flour had a higher number of prolamins with respect to Iburu flour. The opposite was found for the number of glutelin spots. The concentration of total free amino acids of Iburu flour was higher than that of Acha flour (1348 ± 34 vs. 100 ± 20 mg/kg). Pediococcus pentosaceus was the dominant species in both the flours. Several isolates were used to ferment Acha or Iburu flours. After 8 h fermentation at 30 °C, pH ranged from 3.41 to 3.83 and from 4.20 to 4.66 for Acha and Iburu sourdoughs, respectively. The highest values of TTA and concentration of lactic acid were found in almost all Iburu sourdoughs. The synthesis of acetoin and γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) was only found in Iburu sourdoughs. Data from the kinetics of acidification, synthesis of lactic and acetic acids, acetoin, and liberation of total free amino acids were elaborated by Principal Component Analysis. Sourdoughs from Acha and Iburu flour were clearly differentiated.     

Binary trees for dissimilarity data

Binary segmentation procedures (in particular, classification and regression trees) are extended to study the relation between dissimilarity data and a set of explanatory variables. The proposed split criterion is very flexible, and can be applied to a wide range of data (e.g., mixed types of multiple responses, longitudinal data, sequence data). Also, it can be shown to be an extension of well-established criteria introduced in the literature on binary trees.     

Determination of Phenolic Compounds in Strawberries (Fragaria ananassa Duch) by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection

This paper describes a method for simultaneous identification and quantification of phenolic compounds in strawberries followed by a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array detection. The studied phenolics were flavonoids (flavonols: quercentin, rutin, and kaempferol; flavanols: catechin and epicatechin; anthocyanidins: cyanidin and pelargonidin) and phenolic acids (hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives: gallic and ellagic acids; hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives: ferulic, coumaric, and cinnamic acids). The mobile phase consisted in a gradient prepared from formic acid in water (2 %, pH 3) and formic acid in methanol (2 %, pH 3), flow rate 0.7 mL min^?1 at 25 °C. Analyses were performed, using methanol as extractant, before and after acid hydrolysis with the aim of determining free and conjugated phenolic compounds in strawberries. The acid hydrolysis conditions (6 mol L^?1 HCl, 50 min at 90 °C) were shown to be suitable both for phenolic standards and strawberry extracts. Method validation, using phenolic standard solutions, included: linearity study, limits of detection and quantification, and calibration and analytical sensitivity quantifications. Precision and accuracy were studied in strawberry extracts. The results indicate that the developed method was linear, sensible, precise, and accurate, and the convenience of methanol can substitute acetonitrile as the most commonly used solvent in HPLC. The method was employed for knowing the phenolic profile in seven strawberry cultivars from Italy and Argentina, and besides, total phenolic content was analyzed by the Folin–Ciocalteu method; the total antioxidant activity was investigated using the ABTS method. Good correlations were observed among latter parameters, and total phenolics were obtained as the sum of each phenolic compound analyzed by photodiode array detection-HPLC.